MovieChat Forums > Snow Falling on Cedars (2000) Discussion > The Beach Landing Scene (spoilers)

The Beach Landing Scene (spoilers)

posted 17 years ago by Marlonius
6 replies | jump to latest

Recall the scene where Ishmael is flashing back to his own WW2 experiences. He remembers nearly drowning during a beach landing presumably somewhere in the Pacific Theatre. (Palm trees).

As he is saved by his fellow soldiers who drag him up from the surf, they pass numerous dead bodies. Most of them are partially buried in the sand due to the action of the waves. However, one of the bodies is completely nude.

Does anyone have any idea why that body was nude? It seems rather illogical to me. I listened to the director's commentary for that scene, but he didn't mention it.

[–] tennismenace 17 years ago

I recall seeing dismembered bodies...is that what you are alluding to?

- The Truth is Out There, and I found it in Christ!

[–] Marlonius 17 years ago

In addition to all the corpses, one body was totally nude, half buried in the sand.

[–] tennismenace 17 years ago

hmmmm, I don't recall that. I wonder why? Next time I put the video on I'll definitely be looking.

But, to give you some kind of answer, maybe he was taking a bath when the Japs came up and surprised them (sneak attack). Yeah, I agree - pretty lame answer. Sorry. I didn't think you would like sharks eating his clothes....

- The Truth is Out There, and I found it in Christ!

[–] Mehki_Girl 16 years ago

Yes there is a partially submerged body that is nude. Could be clothing was burned off. Or some force knocked his clothing off.

[–] zooropa_83 13 years ago

The battle (at least as mentioned in the book) is the Battle of Tarawa, when the Marines landing on the atoll basically got slaughtered at the start when the landing craft got stuck on the coral reef when the tide was much lower than expected. They couldn't go back to their ships, so they pretty much just had to wade forward with absolutely no protection from the barrage of artillery the Japanese just kept pooring into them (yet they still won the battle, because they're Marines).

A lot of the soldiers drowned in the water, overburdened by their heavy equipment. It's not inconceivable for one of them to completely strip down in a panic, thinking he was going to drown.

[–] chrissso 7 years ago

So was that Ishmael get his arm amputated ... thus meaning in the post war scenes he only had one arm? If so I missed that bad!